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yumemory[Location: Manor’s lounge]
Chloe: Subordinates? Do you mean when you were still in the bandits? You were the leader, weren’t you?
Bradley: Yep. Gotta be the fiercest bandits out there.
Bradley: Night after night, I brought them with me, and went on a wild rampage for the treasures we set our eyes on.
Bradley: Be it a magical tool hidden in the ruins by a powerful wizard, or a hidden treasure guarded by a beast, we raided them all.
Chloe: So you really had to fight powerful foes for the treasures?
Bradley: Obviously. Did that several times. We beat ‘em all up and won!
Bradley: Any treasure will be mine once I set my eyes on it.
Bradley: There was even a time we raided a band of thieves’ stronghold and got a mountain of giant jewels.
Chloe: S-So cool!
Mithra: Well, that’s nothing compared to me, the Emperor of The Night.
Bradley: Hey, that’s my title.
Chloe was completely absorbed in Bradley’s tale of bravery, and let out a deep sigh of admiration.
Chloe: That’s so awesome….
Chloe: I’ve encountered a lot of pretty things after going on a journey with Rustica, but I guess you must’ve seen a lot more, Bradley.
Bradley: Hmph, no shit! You’re talking about the Great Emperor of The Night, Bradley.
Bradley rubbed his nose gratifyingly. Perhaps riding on the wave, he then started to talk about the treasures he heisted like a chatterbox.
A huge crystal, a painting with dubious history, a golden crown…. While imagining those things inside my head, I became curious.
Akira: Bradley, you’ve seen a lot of treasures, I see.
Bradley: Uh-huh.
Akira: Which one do you think is the most beautiful?
Bradley put down the teacup after a sip and smirked like he’s going to talk about something important.
Bradley: ...Ya wanna hear about it?
Mithra: No, thank you. That aside, we ran out of charcoal, please go get some more.
Bradley: Hey.
At that moment, we heard sounds of running footsteps in the lounge.
Snow: Oh, so here you are.
White: The Sage is here too. That saves us time.
Akira: Snow, White.
Chloe: Arthur and Figaro, too. What’s the matter?
Figaro: Hello there. What a rare combination of people having a tea party.
Arthur: Everyone, excuse us for interrupting. …Only Owen is missing. Do you happen to know where he is?
Mithra: Owen was here until some moments ago.
Snow: What?
White: Where could he have gone?
Bradley: Beats me. Don’t think he’s gonna come back soon.
Arthur: I see….
There’s a little dejection in Arthur’s voice. He’s composed as usual, but he seems to be in a hurry.
Chloe: Hey, did something happen?
Arthur: We actually received a pressing request from a town near the Central kingdom’s border just now.
Arthur: Originally, the Central wizards should be the ones taking care of this request…
Arthur: But there is a possibility of a peril; one that could be better handled by the strong wizards.
Arthur: That is why we would like to ask for the Northern wizards’ assistance. Please lend us your help. I myself will certainly be there as well.
Mithra: ……
Bradley: ….…
The silence lasted for a few seconds. The two of them then resumed drinking their tea as if nothing happened.
Bradley: Hey, about that thing earlier.
Mithra: Can I have another serving of charcoal already?
Akira: (They ignored him...!?)
Snow: ’Tis futile to pretend you didn’t hear a word.
White: We already agreed to lend our hand, all that is left is for you to say ‘Okay.’
Annoyed, Bradley clicked his tongue.
Bradley: Cut the crap, we ain’t got time to settle other countries’ problems.
Mithra: If the request is for the Central wizards, then why not let Oz handle it?
Akira: Ah, Oz departed on another mission in a remote region with the rest of the Central wizards…
Snow: And so it is. With Oz’s absence, there is only us left.
Bradley: Like I give a shit. If you’re gonna fight, why not bring that bogus doctor over there? That should do it.
Figaro: Are you talking about me? Oh come on, Rutile and I will handle the investigations.
Mithra: ...Rutile will go too?
Figaro: As my assistant, yes. I want him to help me with the investigation.
Arthur: This request came from a place called Lakeside Town in the Central kingdom.
Arthur: True to its name, the vast lake is the trademark of their town. However….
Akira: Could it be that something happened to the lake…?
Arthur: Indeed. Many has reported witnessing a strange fish a while after the attack of < the Great Calamity. >
Arthur: The wedding of the chief’s son was postponed as a result, and thus they requested us to resolve the problem.
Akira: (A strange fish in the lake….)
Hearing Arthur’s explanation, my mind replayed a lurid memory.
Snow: Doesn’t it evoke your memory so naturally?
White: Of Remora, the strange fish that threatened a village in the Eastern kingdom.
The monster fish Remora. A violent magical beast that we fought during our endeavor to hold a holy festival in the Eastern kingdom.
It was an extremely fierce battle. The village that became the battlefield fell into disorder, and Shino and Heathcliff were gravely injured.
Everyone’s face stiffened.
Chloe: Remora is the fish that the Eastern wizards fought, right? I was surprised because Shino and Heath came back wounded that day….
Chloe: Could it be that the strange fish witnessed in that lake is something like Remora?
Arthur: That is possible. Though it is not confirmed yet, it is best that we prepare for a brutal battle.
Akira: So that’s why you’re asking for the Northern wizards’ assistance…
Figaro: It’s a pressing and urgent mission, after all.
Figaro: So here we are, asking for the ever reliable young lads’ help.
Snow and White: Or so we thought…
Snow and White sighed loudly.
Snow: Forget about being reliable. We are faced with Mister Mithra and Mister Bradley’s strong objections, and Mister Owen is nowhere to be seen….
White: No wonder rumors spread about the Northern wizards’ lacking teamwork. ‘Tis also why you unnecessarily flinch in the presence of humans.
The two of them acted as if they were overcome by anguish and lament, all while looking straight at Bradley and Mithra.
Snow:The Central wizards would always assemble at the arranged time and depart at once on the day of their mission.
White: Oh, how honorable.
Snow: Whereas us, Northern wizards, must go through hours of an uphill battle of gathering, collecting, assembling before we could even set off on our missions.
White: Oh, how unbecoming.
Bradley and Mithra: ……
